Hendrie Is Out, But Imus Isn't In

ON RADIO - JEFF RUSNAK

Friday, WIOD talk comic Phil Hendrie was doing what he does so remarkably well - suckering his listeners with dubious scenarios hatched from his fertile, and often scandalous, imagination.

Hendrie, whose last show for WIOD (610-AM) is set for Aug. 30, came on the air saying that the station will pick up syndicated New York talk personality Don Imus beginning in September for its morning drive time slot. Hendrie added that current a.m. guys Rick and Suds would move to the afternoon drive time position Hendrie now occupies.

Hendrie praised Imus as a "great raconteur and political satirist" and a "trend-setting talent."One listener called to point out that Howard Stern "kicked Imus's butt" in New York ratings books and that the same would happen in South Florida, where Stern is heard on WBGG (105.9-FM).

But that caller, like so many others to Hendrie's wickedly funny show, had been duped. Imus is not coming to WIOD, said station programming director Steve Nicholl.

"Phil's the same guy who said I was in an armored car cruising around DUI checkpoints with a cocktail in my hand," Nicholl said. "Which was not true either, was it?'' So if it's not Imus - who airs weekday mornings on WBZT (1290-AM) in West Palm Beach - who will replace Hendrie at WIOD?

Don't bet against the return of Ron and Ron - Ron Bennington and Ron Diaz, the self-appointed Bad Boys of radio, who were last heard two years ago on Zeta (WZTA, 94.9-FM). Word has it that Ron and Ron will take over the 6-10 a.m. drive time show for WIOD in mid-to-late September. Current a.m. personalities Rick and Suds would move to their former 2-6 p.m. slot. A second possibility has Ron and Ron returning to Zeta, and Zeta morning hosts Paul Castronovo and Young Ron Brewer moving to WIOD. Zeta is owned by Paxson Communications, which recently purchased WIOD from Cox Enterprises and is waiting for FCC approval on the sale.

On Friday, Nicholl said an announcement would be made in the next couple of weeks. But after word leaked late Monday, neither Nicholl nor Alan Mason, Paxson senior vice president of programming, could be reached for comment. Nor could Ross Reback, president and CEO of the Ron and Ron Radio Network, which syndicates the pair in seven cities.

Looked at another way, nobody called back to issue a denial, perhaps a sign the Bad Boys are indeed back.

L.A.'s airwaves will get their Phil

Hendrie's most committed listeners say they'll follow him wherever he goes. Well, load up the truck, Jed, and get set to move to Beverly - Hills, that is. Actually, Hendrie is moving to Los Angeles, where he'll begin work at an undisclosed station in mid-September. The pending approval of WIOD's purchase by Paxson effectively ended Hendrie's stay at the station. Hendrie, an employee of Cox Enterprises, says he wasn't going to tell his listeners that he was leaving, until word was leaked on the air by WIOD hosts Neil Rogers and Rick and Suds.

"I was just going to do my show, say `See you Monday,' and never come back," Hendrie says. "I'm a radio person, that's all I am. I shouldn't play such a role that my listeners are distraught by a radio personality that takes off and goes somewhere else."

Before he leaves, Hendrie will be a host for the Last Annual Golf Tournament, a benefit for the Jimmy Ryce Center, on Saturday, Aug. 17, at the Grand Palms Country Club in Pembroke Pines. The donation/entry fee is $125. Call 1-954-522-9831 for more information. The first tournament in May raised more than $20,000 for the center.